ABSTRACT
In 1963-67, as the international system was moving towards détente, Greece had to adjust to a partially different world. At first sight a frontline state should have welcomed the prospect of détente, but, in practice, international developments puzzled officials in Athens. The Greek leaders – both of the Right and of the Centre – were not afraid of Bulgaria and the Soviet Bloc simply because these countries were Communist; the unfortunate legacies of southeastern Europe would not necessarily fade away in a climate of East-West détente. The new governing party in Athens, the Centre Union (CU), supported a more relaxed policy towards the East, but had never disputed the existence of a ‘menace from the north’, with its various historical, geographical and Cold War aspects. Furthermore, a new security problem now occurred: the new conflict in Cyprus forced Athens to face successive crises east of its borders, even the prospect of war with Turkey. Ironically, Greece’s problems multiplied after 1963.
